


Yes, I Will

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 06:30:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13118013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: It's Christmas morning; why is Tommy so nervous?





	Yes, I Will

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC... no copyright infringement intended

I had been trying to think of the perfect way to propose to Barbara for a couple of weeks, and I still hadn’t come to any conclusion. A restaurant would embarrass her, as would the pub, but I didn’t want her to think that she wasn’t worth pushing the boat out for.

And then there was the ring. I couldn’t see Barbara wearing anything ostentatious, that wasn’t who she was, but I still wanted to show her how much I loved her and how much she meant to me.

Christmas was fast approaching. Barbara and I were staying in London. She had spent the festive period at Howenstow once before, but that had been when we were just friends. My family knew that our relationship had progressed and developed, but they were unaware that I was planning on asking her to marry me, and I wanted it to stay that way until she said yes, and the ring was securely on her finger.

I had almost given up on finding her something suitable when lady luck decided to smile on me. I had needed to drop the Bristol off at the garage for some minor work and, instead of going home, I chose to kill time by stopping at a coffee shop. It was as I was making my way there that I saw the perfect set of rings…

…Tommy had appeared anxious since we had woken, but I couldn’t understand why. We were spending Christmas alone and, at my insistence, informally. We were doing our own thing, and if that meant spending the entire day in our pyjamas then so be it. There was no reason for him to be nervous.

He brought our coffees into the lounge, put them down on the table, sat on the couch, then almost immediately got up again and wandered over to the window.

“What on earth is wrong with you today? You’re up and down like a whore’s drawers!”

“Barbara!”

I laughed at his indignant spluttering, before smiling serenely at him. “Barbara what?”

“I’m not going to fall for that butter wouldn’t melt expression, especially not after your earlier comment.”

My lips twitched as I fought another laugh, “I don’t know what you mean.”

His eyes sparkled with mirth, “I’m sure you don’t.”

“I don’t.”

He flopped down next to me, his arm sliding around my shoulder, drawing me close.

“I’ve been distracted, haven’t I?”

“A bit. Want to talk about it?”

“I’d rather show you…”

I untangled myself from Barbara’s embrace and went over to the Christmas tree. A flash of confusion laced with disappointment crossed her face as I left her; I hoped she would understand. Retrieving a small jewellery box from the branches of the tree, I headed back to her side and got down on one knee.

“Tommy?”

I cracked open the black velvet covered box to reveal a simple round diamond engagement ring and a matching bezel diamond wedding band.

“Barbara, you and I have been an unbreakable partnership for over ten years. What we’ve been through together, well it would shatter most people, but it has only made us stronger.

“I love you, in some ways I think I always have, it just took me a while to come to my senses. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to fall asleep in your arms, and wake up to find you still there. I want to argue with you and then make up with you. I want to do all the normal, routine things with you and only you. I want this Christmas to be the first step on our new road together.

“Barbara Havers; will you marry me?..”

I smiled at him through my tears of happiness, “just when I didn’t think I could love you more, you go and prove me wrong. Yes, Thomas Lynley, yes I will marry you.”


End file.
